Reds Top Prospects - August 2022 Edition

[RustyJ]

Thanks for putting the list together, with one quibble: Chase petty throws a100 mph FB and has a 55 Slider and he is just 19. He has a lot more potential than Phillips. He has the best arm in this rebuild.

A pitcher’s potential consists of quite a bit more than whether or not he can touch 100mph now and again. Phillips has high 90s with great spin and wipeout breaking stuff with the k numbers to back it up.

[Mitri]

I forgot Siani. He probably deserves top-25 recognition.

I'm totally fine bumping Callihan out. He's had plenty of chances to gain traction. He and Torres are my biggest disappointments of the year so far.

I would also be willing to downgrade Cerda on my list after looking at his numbers more closely.

Finally, kind of bummed they didn't acquire another high-end SP prospect in these recent deals. They could use another starter in the high minors. But I suppose that's something teams aren't willing to give up in deadline deals. I'd like to see some of the Williamson/Abbott/Bonnin/Roa/Boyle crowd make cases for 2023 staff (starting or relieving).

[RustyJ]

I'm totally fine bumping Callihan out. He's had plenty of chances to gain traction. He and Torres are my biggest disappointments of the year so far.

I would also be willing to downgrade Cerda on my list after looking at his numbers more closely.

So many interesting bats fell off the wrong side of the bell curve in Dayton this year. Hinds/Cerda/Hendrick have borderline bust level K issues, Torres can’t hit, Callahan hasn’t exactly inspired as a bat first guy. Was expecting at least one good helium prospect out of that group.

[CaiGuy]

No respect for my man Mike Siani? 2.3 years younger than league average .346 OBP, 46/66 BB/SO ratio, .728 OPS with 33SB, and top notch defense in CF. I think he has a chance to be a glove first starter in CF for the Reds if he can keep that OPS around .700 with the excellent BB/SO rate as he moves up.

I see Sian's name come up a lot, but just can't see a guy who can't hit the low minors at all as a viable prospect to make the ML.

In advanced A ball, he managed a .216/.321/.327/.648 line.

For reference at the same age and level, Billy Hamilton managed a .323/.413/.439/.852 line and kicked the door down to AA. And he has a 67 OPS+ in the majors.

[mth123]

Here is my top 30, based on limited info and impressions. Probably some low level guys I'm leaving off. Need starting pitching really bad. Some decent bullpen candidates though with Boyle and Williamson probably being the best two. Maybe Haijer if he can't start.

1. De La Cruz
2. Marte
3. Arroyo
4. Collier
5. McLain
6. Steer
7. McGarry
8. Encarnacion
9. Phillips
10. Petty
11. Stewart
12. Williamson
13. Stoudt
14. Haijer
15. Boyle
16. Bonin
17. Roa
18. Abbott
19. Acuna
20. Cerda
21. Tanner
22. Callihan
23. Hinds
24. Brutti
25, Cabrera
26. Torres
27. Hendrick
28. Solomon
29. Spiers
30. Siani

[Brisco]

Methinks Encarnacion-Strand will be top five by this time next year.

[Benihana]

Here is my top 30, based on limited info and impressions. Probably some low level guys I'm leaving off. Need starting pitching really bad. Some decent bullpen candidates though with Boyle and Williamson probably being the best two. Maybe Haijer if he can't start.

1. De La Cruz
2. Marte
3. Arroyo
4. Collier
5. McLain
6. Steer
7. McGarry
8. Encarnacion
9. Phillips
10. Petty
11. Stewart
12. Williamson
13. Stoudt
14. Haijer
15. Boyle
16. Bonin
17. Roa
18. Abbott
19. Acuna
20. Cerda
21. Tanner
22. Callihan
23. Hinds
24. Brutti
25, Cabrera
26. Torres
27. Hendrick
28. Solomon
29. Spiers
30. Siani

Interesting you have McGarry 13 spots ahead of Cerda when they performed similarly in Dayton this year. McGarry is doing a little better in Chattanooga so far though 25 games, but Cerda two years younger and a plus defender in CF while McGarry is a 1B/DH type. Also no Jay Allen?

[Benihana]

Thinking about this list, I hope we get the best college pitcher or corner bat available when we pick in the top 10 of the 2023 draft, and take whichever of those two we don't in the competitive balance round A.

I also really, really hope we sign a corner OF in free agency this year, be it Benintendi or someone else. That is an obvious gaping hole in the organization for the next few years at least.

[wolfboy]

Methinks Encarnacion-Strand will be top five by this time next year.

I don't think he'll ever garner that type of respect due to his defensive shortcomings. His power is unmatched in the system though.

[JFLegal]

I don't think he'll ever garner that type of respect due to his defensive shortcomings. His power is unmatched in the system though.

with the DH and with votto retiring soon, a guy like encarnacion-strand will be very valuable to the reds one day if he keeps raking at a .986 clip at AA as a 22-year-old.

[Brisco]

I appreciate your optimism but I will be shocked if you can find me one respectable publication that is giving consideration to Encarnacion-Strand as a top 100 prospect. He was ranked the 12th best prospect in the (below average) Twins system as recently as last week (by Aaron Gleeman/The Athletic).

And Bleacher report had him as the third best Twins prospect. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...2022-mlb-draft

[wolfboy]

with the DH and with votto retiring soon, a guy like encarnacion-strand will be very valuable to the reds one day if he keeps raking at a .986 clip at AA as a 22-year-old.

Oh, absolutely. I'm incredibly bullish on CES. He's my favorite piece of that deal. But I don't expect minor league ranking types to share the sentiment because of his deficiencies. And to be clear, his OPS at AA is 1.085. .987 is his overall OPS between A+ and AA.

[Brisco]

The K/BB is the last thing i'm waiting to see from EDLC before I crown him the next star. If he improves that while maintaining his SLG% he's going to be spectacular.

Please call him LED rather than EDLC... it is his name (Elly D) and its the perfect nickname since he is destined to light it up. ( I am tryign tio get the nickname to catch on)

[RustyJ]

Oh, absolutely. I'm incredibly bullish on CES. He's my favorite piece of that deal. But I don't expect minor league ranking types to share the sentiment because of his deficiencies. And to be clear, his OPS at AA is 1.085. .987 is his overall OPS between A+ and AA.

There’s that type of guy that, even when it’s abundantly clear that they’re going to be a valuable major league player, will never ever see a top 100 list. Not sure how major league clubs value them, but the amateur list makers have a type, and it doesn’t always correspond to where the real life value is IMO.

[wolfboy]

Oh, absolutely. I'm incredibly bullish on CES. He's my favorite piece of that deal. But I don't expect minor league ranking types to share the sentiment because of his deficiencies. And to be clear, his OPS at AA is 1.085. .987 is his overall OPS between A+ and AA.

Just some added context on how impressive CES's season has been. Among minor league batters with at least 200 plate appearances this season, CES's 163 RC+ is 10th in all of MiLB (5th among players 22 and under). Among that same group, his ISO is 11th in all of MiLB (2nd among players 22 and under). His combined OPS is 20th among all minor leaguers with 200+ PA, but 4th among players 22 and under. I think there is some valid concern that this may not be sustainable over the long-term because of his K and BB rates, but let there be no doubt: this kid is knocking the cover off the ball right up there with the top bats in all of minor league baseball.